The Allstate Foundation Invites Public to Fill Up Purple Purses: Online Challenge of 140 Nonprofits Will Raise Funds for Domestic Violence Services

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Sept. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- It is the least talked about part of domestic violence—financial abuse. In an endeavor to raise money for nonprofits that provide domestic violence and economic empowerment services, The Allstate Foundation has built a program to help organizations across the country raise money and build awareness for their efforts. In addition to providing the social platform for a national fund-raising effort on Crowdrise.com/PurplePurse, The Allstate Foundation will contribute nearly $650,000 to the Purple Purse Challenge in incentive funding and direct grants to the participating organizations.

The Purple Purse Challenge launches on Sept. 2, 2014 and will last through Oct. 3, 2014. Anyone interested in giving to participating organizations can donate at www.crowdrise.com/PurplePurseChallenge. The more donations each nonprofit collects, the more incentive funding the organization can compete for the opportunity to win from The Allstate Foundation.

"Nearly 10,000 requests for help from domestic violence victims go unanswered on an average day due to a lack of funding for victim services," said Vicky Dinges, senior vice president of corporate responsibility at Allstate. "No victim should be turned away when they seek services for themselves and for their children. The Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Challenge will make sure more survivors get financial education services, and more families get safe and stay safe from abuse."

The Purple Purse Challenge creates momentum into October, which is national Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and is a part of Allstate Foundation Purple Purse that aims to educate the public on the role financial abuse has in trapping women in abusive relationships. 

As a part of this year's program, limited-edition purple purses, designed for Allstate Foundation Purple Purse, will be distributed among community leaders, Purple Purse Challenge participants, celebrities and media to raise awareness for this important cause. The purple purse represents the center of a woman's financial domain and purple is the color of national domestic violence awareness.

Donors who give to a nonprofit participant in the Challenge from Sept. 2 through Oct. 3 will be entered in a weekly drawing to win one of the exclusive purses. Additionally, The Allstate Foundation is giving the opportunity for one lucky person and a guest to travel to New York City for the unveiling of the purse design at an exclusive event on Sept. 15. For full rules and details please visit www.crowdrise.com/PurplePurseChallenge.

The Allstate Foundation is also distributing 80,000 Purple Purse charms through Purple Purse Challenge participants and Allstate agency owners to attach to a bag or purse to show support year-round. The charms are outfitted with a story of a survivor who overcame abuse through financial empowerment.

Since 2005, The Allstate Foundation Domestic Violence Program has empowered domestic violence survivors with resources, knowledge and skills they need to achieve financial empowerment and life free from abuse. Since its inception, the program has helped nearly 400,000 domestic violence survivors leave abusive relationships through financial education, job training and readiness, and microenterprise programs.

About The Allstate Foundation
Established in 1952, The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made possible by subsidiaries of The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL). Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country, The Allstate Foundation brings the relationships, reputation and resources of Allstate to support innovative and lasting solutions that enhance people's well-being and prosperity. With a focus on teen safe driving and building financial independence for domestic violence survivors, The Allstate Foundation also promotes safe and vital communities; tolerance, inclusion, and diversity; and economic empowerment. For more information, visit www.AllstateFoundation.org.

SOURCE The Allstate Foundation